Canvas Leaders

[Cassandra]

I need some advice from any quilter that has changed the canvas leads.  Is it necessary for the leaders to be four feet long?  Has anyone 'stablilized'  the pinning edge of the canvas to make it stronger to hold the pins?  Is it necessary to put starch on the leaders before I install them to make them more 'stable'?  Thank you for your comments.

[ffq-lar]

If the leaders are canvas and a replacement from APQS, you won't need to starch them. As for why they're four feet long? Maybe it's the width of the fabric? If they were cut in half and offered for sale at that width, someone would need to finish the edge somehow. This way they're ready to attach.

I don't think they need to be that long and many people have trimmed them after they stretch a bit in the middle from heavy use. The pinning edge on my leaders is like a selvage--tighter-woven and almost rubbery. After nine years of pinning at least one hundred quilts a year, it's still sharp and stable.

So if you have these canvas leaders you should be set just by attaching them.

If you've purchased pillow-ticking or other non-canvas leaders, I have no experience with them.

[RitaR]

I find that any fabric can be used, just try to put the cut edge onto the rollers.  If both sides would be raw, then one would need to be zigzaged to keep it from fraying.  Do not use a serger, there are too many threads not as tight as a dsm to catch the pins in.  I generally use the dsm to machine baste  the quilt back to the leaders/zippers.   if the edge is serged you would have problems not taking it out stitch by stitch.

 

I've used woven polished cotton a bit heavier than quilting fabric.  It doesn't stretch, at least I've not had that problem, and it is lighter in bulk, thus a bit longer quilt can be managed.

 

The most important thing is to make sure it is square before and after it is put on the machine.  mainly after.

 

Good luck, and welcome to the forum, don't think I've greeted you yet, so forgive if I did.

 

Rita